Wedding Countdown
by ATTHS
Summary: Mulder and Scully have some things they need to do in the week leading up to their wedding.
1. Tuesday: One Week to Go

"Here we go," the woman said with a smile, causing Mulder to look up from the necklaces he was admiring, smiling as he walked toward her.

"Great," he grinned, as he saw the small gold ring on the cloth covered board in her hands. She set it down, and he picked up the ring. Turning it, he saw the inscription he had ordered and he grinned. "It's perfect, thank you so much, Martha. It looks wonderful." She grinned at him, and he smiled back at her.

"The font you picked looks perfect in it too, with it being such a delicate band," she said, as she looked at it with him. "She'll love it." He nodded, still grinning. Setting it down, he looked at her again, and laughed softly.

"Thank you for all your help, truly. Now, let's see about a box. Oh, also there was something else I wanted to check out," he said, as they began to search for the perfect ring box.

Ten minutes later, he had the ring in a small antique oval box. It was leather and nearly slate blue in color, with tiny gemstones around the top and bottom edge. The cream color inside made him think of Faith's bedroom walls. He knew it was the right box as soon as he saw it. He also bought a pair of cufflinks to wear for the wedding, and he could not stop grinning as he left the store.

Getting in the car, he set his items down on the passenger seat. He waved to Martha as she stood in the doorway of the shop, and she smiled and waved back. Heading down the road, he continued to smile as he glanced at the bag beside him.

The day he picked out Scully's engagement ring, he also chose a simple delicate gold band to go with it. They were not an actual set, but they fit well and looked good together. He laughed as he realized the same could be said of the two of them, so the rings he picked, had been fitting.

After Scully said yes, he decided he wanted the wedding ring engraved with something special to him. He thought about it for awhile, finally settling on the perfect thing. He took the ring back to Martha and they discussed options, coming up with the perfect font and placement for the inscription. She had not asked what the significance was, even though he knew she wanted to know. He kept it to himself, however, and he smiled again, happy with how it all turned out.

Lost in his thoughts, the sign for a salad and sandwich place they liked, came into view. Pulling over, he parked the car with the plan to call Scully, and see what she would like to eat. His gaze landed on the bag of items as he turned off the car. Reaching for it, he took out the ring box once more, needing to see it. He took out the ring and held it, reading the inscription again.

_January 1999 … March 2018_

He smiled as he thought of the significance of the dates to him. He told Scully in an email a few years ago, that January of '99 was when he knew beyond any doubt that she was it for him forever. Of course he knew it already, but when she had been paired with Agent Ritter, and subsequently shot _by_ him. Without Mulder there by her side to help her, it had been a wake up call.

A gunshot to her stomach, a long surgery to wait through with the anger inside him building as he watched Agent Ritter pacing across the waiting area with Scully's blood, literally and figuratively on his hands. He nearly lost her, and he was ready to beat Agent Ritter to death for the hurt and pain he caused Scully.

She healed, surprisingly quickly, to the astonishment of her doctors. Agent Ritter apologized and then hightailed it out of the hospital when he saw and heard Mulder's anger. Once he was gone, Mulder did not give him another thought, his focus only on Scully.

Visiting her, staying in a nearby hotel to remain close, bringing her flowers and silly things from the gift shop, he tried to tell her what he could not yet vocalize, his fear and worry too close to the surface. Instead, he tried to make her laugh, told her outlandish stories that made her roll her eyes, and challenged her to different card games to which he gladly accepted defeat when she beat him every single time.

Her mother would have done it, but he insisted on taking her home when she was well enough to leave. He even went so far as to drive her the long distance back home, allowing her to be more comfortable in a car, instead of cramped in an airplane.

Watching her, as she lay in the passenger seat, softly singing along with the radio, he fell over the edge he had been teetering on, and he did not look back. He loved her and he knew it, he just needed to wait and find the right way and time to tell her.

It took them a few years to arrive where they had inevitably always been headed, but the realization was enough to stick with him as _the_ moment. His eye-opening moment being symbolic enough, that he put it on a ring she would now wear forever.

March 2018, he thought with a smile, when they _finally_ got their shit together. Two years apart. Two years that nearly broke him, and would have done so were it not for the love and support of Mrs. Scully. He shook his head as he thought of all she did for him during those years, when he was not always sure which way was up.

Two years apart and then two years thrown back together, working side-by-side at the bureau but not _being_ together. Two years of seeing her, watching her smile, smelling her familiar scent, but unable to touch or kiss her. Some days he was not sure if it was worse to be apart, or close enough to touch but unable to do so. Two goddamn years being right beside her before she came to him after a bad dream and laid beside him. On that night, she spoke of her fears in the hope he would assuage them, before turning to him with the smile he had missed for nearly four years. The one that held secrets but also answered any questions he could ever think to ask.

Then, the night in the church, the one in which they would be married in a weeks time, they put it all on the line, every worry, fear, and hope. They cried and began the journey back to one another. The past would stay in the past. No more darkness, only honesty and openness.

He shook his head and sighed, looking at the words and dates again, before putting the ring safely back in the box and reaching for his phone. As he did, it beeped with a message from Scully, causing him to shake his head. Their connection was so strong that it blew his mind.

_Are you planning to return home to your hungry family anytime soon?_

He read the message upon unlocking the phone, finding a picture of a grinning Faith, and a skeptical eyebrowed Scully below it. He grinned as he quickly typed out a response.

_Just pulled into Lulu's. ❤️ You want the usual?_

He watched the ellipsis, waiting for her answer. Three drooling emoji faces appeared, and he laughed. Putting his phone and the small bag in his pocket, he went inside and ordered their food. As he waited for it, he took out his phone and looked at the picture of them again. He smiled as he saved it and then set it as his wallpaper.

He looked at Scully's expression, one he had seen a million times. Then he looked at Faith, and her beautiful cheesy grin. She loved to see herself as they took pictures. It always made her laugh, which ensured they would get a good photo of her.

_God_, he thought, shaking his head, his love for them immeasurable.

His order number was called and he took the bags of food out to the car. Setting them on the backseat, he placed the iced teas in the cup holders, and headed for home.

He turned on the radio, set to some station Scully seemed to like a lot these days. It was not his usual choice for music, but it was mellow enough that it had the added bonus of putting Faith to sleep. It gave them a chance to sit and talk, watching the sun go down, or make out as they had done one night, just as the stars came out.

Sitting in the driveway, Scully took off her seatbelt, looked over the car seat, making sure Faith was indeed asleep, and then climbed into his lap and kissed him senseless.

He had just gotten to second base, when Faith woke up and demanded to get out of her car seat with a loud cry. Scully had kissed him once more, taken his hand from inside her bra, whispered '_soon_' in his ear, climbed off his lap and got out of the car.

He stayed outside in the car while they went into the house. He had to wait to join them until he could walk comfortably. When he finally walked in, Scully had laughed, but her eyes flashed with desire when they met his, and he knew soon would be worth the wait.

He chuckled as he thought that while not his favorite radio station, he would not complain about it when it meant they experienced moments like that together. When her kiss made his blood race and her desire for him caused him to forget to breathe for a second.

He shook his head as a new song started, one he faintly recognized, and he turned up the volume, trying to see if he did know it.

_She's a whistle on the wind_

_A feather on the breeze_

_A ripple on the stream_

_She is sunlight on the sea_

_She's a soft summer rain_

_Falling gently through the trees_

_And I love her_

He exhaled and smiled, turning it up a bit more as he listened more intently.

_She's cunning as a fox_

_Clever as a crow_

_Solid as a rock_

_She is stubborn as a stone_

_She's a hardheaded woman_

_And the best one that I know_

_And I love her_

_Yeah, well I love her_

God, this could be written for Scully, he thought with a shake of his head. Everything said described her perfectly: hardheaded and yet the best woman he knew … that was his Scully.

_She's as new as the springtime_

_Strong as autumn blows_

_Warm as the summer_

_And soft as the snow_

_She's a thousand miles from here_

_But she's everywhere I go_

_'Cause I love her_

_She loves me like a woman_

_She looks like a lady_

_She laughs like a child_

_And cries like a baby_

_I think that maybe she's the one that's gonna save me_

He exhaled again, taking a deep breath as he shook his head, and blinked his suddenly wet eyes. Laughing softly at himself, he sped up, eager to get home to the woman who had indeed saved him.

A thousand times over.


	2. Wednesday: Six Days to Go

Scully sat down in the car with a sigh, feeling discouraged. She had been to three shops looking for a dress for the wedding. Not a _wedding dress_, as she was quick to tell Mulder who only smiled, but a dress _for_ the wedding.

The thought of finding some dress like other women dreamed of, some white flowing, mermaid style, made her eyes roll. Imagining herself in a white dress, which symbolized virginity, meeting Mulder at the end of the aisle, as he held their nearly one year old daughter, made her laugh. Add to that her age, and she felt downright gleeful.

No, a white _wedding_ dress would not do, she simply needed a dress for the wedding.

Every place she looked, the dresses were wrong. Either too much or not enough. They just did not feel _right_ to her. Each one she tried on felt off and something about them just …

She needed something beautiful, functional, and appropriate for her taste and for the church. Something like …

"Oh … oh my …" she breathed and started the car, her heart racing.

* * *

Forty five minutes later, after a call to Mulder that she would still be out for a bit, with him happily telling her to take her time, she was standing on the front steps of her mother's house. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she put her key in the lock and opened the door.

Stepping inside, she stood in the entryway, and looked around. The last time she was there had been a few months ago and it was a quick visit. Louise had called to check in on them and asked after her mother's house. What they planned to do with it and how it was being cared for.

_"I have a woman who comes to clean my place who is amazing, if you would like to have her number."_

The woman met with both of them and agreed to clean the house. After she left, Scully and Louise had held each other and cried as they walked around, collecting anything of value, which had been brought home with Scully. The woman, Ingrid, came by once a month, dusted, vacuumed, and cleaned the bathrooms.

A plan would need to be made for the house soon, but it filled Scully with sadness at the thought of it. Selling it made her feel they were giving her mother away, and renting it out and letting someone else live there … she could not fathom it.

Pocketing her keys, she continued on, up the stairs and to her mother's bedroom door. Opening it, she stepped inside and took a deep breath, her mother's scent still held within.

"Hey, Mom," she said quietly, walking further into the room. "It's been awhile, huh? I was out and about today, trying to find a dress for our wedding, yes you heard that right, our _wedding_." She laughed softly and stepped into the large walk-in closet, turning on the light, and sighing. So many clothes hanging in garment bags, she was not sure she would find what she was looking for.

"I was trying to find a dress, like I said, and everything just felt wrong. I can't describe it, but when I started to think of what I _really_ wanted, I realized where I had seen it. So, here I am, looking for what I would like to wear. I hope it will be okay with you," she laughed again as she began to look through the clothing. "What am I saying? If you were here, you'd know exactly where it was and hand it to me with a huge smile on your face." She shook her head and sighed.

"I can't believe we're actually doing this to be completely honest. I never saw us as _married_, not from a legal standpoint anyway. I've felt we are without question, but married _married_, it's so different. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely _do_ want to marry him. I would have been happy with a day at the courthouse, but well, you know Mulder," she laughed again, unzipping a garment bag and not finding what she wanted. She zipped it up again and moved it to the other side of the closet, moving onto the next one.

"We even have a wedding planner, Mom. Okay, stop. I can practically hear you clapping your hands and gasping," she said, as she rolled her eyes. "He's actually really great and quite funny. I was expecting a flouncy, over-the-top kind of plan, but what he chose was so … _me_. Simplistic, yet with an elegance to it. I was attacked on all sides and never stood a chance." Smiling, she opened another bag and shook her head, not finding it again.

"Faith is going to be celebrating her first birthday soon. Now _that_ I can't wrap my brain around. It's unbelievable to think I was pregnant at this time last year, but knowing she's nearly one, Mom, it's so strange," she stopped for a second, her shoulders slumping. "I know I shouldn't do it, Mom, but I look at her sometimes and think how I missed all the big milestones with William. Crawling, walking, talking, I missed all of that with him." She sobbed out a gasp and left the closet, needing a minute. Walking into the bathroom, she sat at the vanity and took a deep breath.

"I sat here with you, and you told me I made the right decision in giving him up for adoption._ 'Let the sadness in, and then let it out. You did what you needed to protect him, you, and everyone around you. He is safe because of a sacrifice you made, a painful choice you made. He is safe, Dana.'_ That's what you told me, Mom, and it's been less sad some days, but then some days when I look at her …" she took a deep shaky breath, tears falling down her face. "I look at her, and I think of all I missed with William. I know he was and is okay, but God …"

She tilted her head back and closed her eyes as the tears fell faster, the thoughts of all she missed, all _they_ missed. The memory of her mother's arms around her as she sat at this vanity years ago, brought her some comfort. She crossed her arms and placed her hands on her shoulders, as if she could feel the weight of that remembered hug.

"_Let the sadness in, and then let it out,_" she repeated. "I'm trying, Mom, I really am. So much of the hurt has been filled with happiness and hopefulness, but there are pockets of it that pop up and it takes me down for a bit." She took another deep breath and opened her eyes. Wiping the tears from her face, she looked in the mirror, picturing her mother's reflection as she stood behind her. "Thanks for listening, Mom, I love you." She smiled softly and then stood up, walking back to the closet.

"Okay, Mom, enough sadness. Help me out here, which garment bag is it in?" she asked, clapping her hands together and looking at all the clothes hanging there. "Maybe towards the back?" She took out three of the items and hung them on the rack, facing her so she could open many of them at once. She unzipped the first one, shaking her head and zipping it up again, moving onto the next.

Not finding it in any of the garment bags, she sighed, believing her mother must not have kept it after all. She hung the clothes back up and shook her head, then looked up at the shelves in the closet. Shoeboxes, some hat boxes she knew were full of old photos, and then two larger boxes that could be what she was looking for caught her eye.

Walking back to the vanity, she picked up the chair and brought it into the closet, standing on it to pull the boxes down one by one. They lay on the bed and before she opened them, she closed her eyes briefly, praying they would hold the item she needed.

Opening the first box, she pulled back tissue paper and found her mother's wedding dress. Smiling, with tears in her eyes, she took it from the box and the clear plastic bag it sat inside. Unzipping the bag, she held it up and looked at the dress her mother had worn so long ago. It was simple, yet elegant, just as her mother was, and had passed onto her family.

A white knee length, high bodice dress, with long lace sleeves. It was beautiful, and she thought of the old pictures, and how her mother looked on the day she promised herself to William Scully for the rest of her life. Touching the dress was like touching a bit of the past and holding it sacred. It was beautiful, but it was not the one she wanted. Putting it back carefully, she closed the lid and looked at the other box.

Lifting the lid and pulling back the tissue paper, she grinned. "There you are," she said softly, and took the dress from the box. As she unzipped it, she could hear the music and laughter of the day her mother wore it.

Celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary, her parents had been the stars of the evening. Everyone was there, family and friends filling the booked the reception hall at the hotel where many people were staying. The room was beautifully decorated and the dinner they shared was delicious.

Her mother was radiant, not only in the dress she wore, but with the glow in her eyes and the flush of her cheeks as she danced around with her father. Both of them happy and smiling, eyes only on each other when they were dancing together.

She and Melissa whispered and laughed as they watched them, poking juvenile fun at the love they saw, though they were both themselves in their twenties. Scully loved seeing them so happy and even though she laughed with Melissa, she also felt that small twinge of longing to have a love like that in her life.

Scully sighed, looking at the dress her mother wore to that party. She took it from the plastic bag and held it up with a smile. "Yes, this is what I was looking for. It's exactly what I wanted." She went into the closet to get a hanger to hang it up and look at it properly.

Opening the curtains in the bedroom, she looked at it, touching the fabric, her mother's laughter ringing in her ears. It was an exquisite dress. Silvery blue and just past the knee, the bodice had a lace flowery overlay, with nearly wrist length sleeves. The neckline was rounded and met at a zipper in the back. Small pearls were scattered throughout the bodice and added to the beauty of the dress. The skirt was not technically full, but had some twirl to it. Scully remembered the way it looked when her parents had danced.

She took the dress from the hanger and unzipped it, laying it on the bed. She undressed, slipped off her shoes, and stepped into the dress, zipping it as best she could on her own. It was a little loose on her, but that could be fixed easily. Walking into the bathroom, she looked in the mirror and smiled before her eyes filled with tears.

"It's perfect," she whispered, imagining how happy her mother would be to let her borrow this dress. The smile on her face as she handed it over, knowing she would be wearing it to marry Mulder. "It's truly perfect." Wiping at her eyes, she smiled again, twirling around and laughing out a sob.

Unzipping and stepping out of it, she packaged it back up, taking care to wrap it as delicately as it had been when she opened the box. She put her clothes back on, put the wedding dress back on the shelf in the closet, and turned out the light. The chair went back to the vanity, the curtains were closed, before she picked up the box and looked around the room.

"Thanks, Mom," she whispered, kissing her fingers and smiling. She walked out the door, closing it behind her, and down the stairs. Locking the front door, she walked to the car and put the dress in the back, patting the box as she did.

She closed the door, got in, and sent Mulder a message that she would be home soon. She had found exactly what she was looking for, and it was perfect.

_Wonderful, Scully. Take your time, no rush on our end_, came his reply and she smiled.

_See you soon. Love you._

_Love you too._

She smiled as she drove home and then laughed as it hit her. With this dress, she had covered three quarters of the old rhyme for a bride on her wedding day:

_Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue._

"Well, I'll need new shoes, so I guess that will cover it," she said, and laughed again, sighing at the happiness that took away the recent sadness. "Six more days … I can't wait."


	3. Thursday: Five Days to Go

"She's getting so big," Skinner said, as he sat on the couch holding Faith in his arms. She stared at him and reached for his glasses faster than anyone could stop her. Before Faith could pull them completely off of his face, Scully grabbed her hands and opened them, releasing the glasses from her grasp.

"Sorry about that," she murmured, holding her hands as Skinner adjusted them properly. He chuckled and then reached for Faith again, lifting her up over his head and making her laugh.

"She's just a little thing, she doesn't know what she's doing," he said, bringing her down and then back up. She screamed and laughed again, causing Skinner to smile. Bringing her back down, he nuzzled her neck and she giggled loudly.

Mulder looked at Scully and they both grinned. Here was their tough ex-boss losing all his cool exterior over their little girl. Scully covered her mouth and Mulder crossed his arms, both of them still grinning.

"And you two can shut the hell up with that silent communication you do," Skinner said gruffly, looking into Faith's eyes. "It was annoying years ago and it's even more so now. Little girl, you're in for a rude awakening, when you discover they can speak without moving their mouths. Whole conversations that you will have no part in, and it will drive you mad." Mulder laughed and Scully joined in, while Skinner shook his head and made silly faces at Faith.

He stood up and carefully spun her around the room, making funny sounds which caused her to laugh again and grab at his shirt. "You're such a sweet little girl, you definitely take after your mama." He looked up and smirked at them, causing Scully to laugh.

"I'll take her, it's past her bedtime. I'll be down in a little bit," Scully said, reaching for Faith and smiling once she had her in her arms. "Tell Uncle Walter good night." Skinner laughed and shook her hand, letting go as Faith shoved it in her mouth. Scully walked over to Mulder so he could kiss Faith before she walked upstairs.

"Seriously, Mulder, you're going to be in big trouble with that one," Skinner said with a shake of his head, and Mulder laughed.

"Yeah, I agree," Mulder grinned. "You want a beer or a glass or wine?"

"I'll take a glass of wine, sure," Skinner answered, as they stepped into the kitchen.

"White or red? Scully usually drinks red, but she bought white too, in case you preferred it."

"Nah, red's fine."

Nodding, Mulder opened the bottle of red wine they purchased earlier in the day. Pouring them each a glass, he handed Skinner his as they sat at the table.

"So, you're working at the Veteran's Affairs office, yeah? How's that going?" Mulder asked, as he took a drink.

"You know, it has its good and bad days. Some of those men and women … they go through hell and then get shit for it when they come home. Subpar housing, lack of medical help, long waits to see doctors … these people _fought_ for us, so we could sleep soundly and they just …" Skinner shook his head and took a big drink of wine.

"Sounds to me like you're perfect for the job," Mulder said, with a smile. "Who better to help than someone who has been through it and come out better for it?" Skinner nodded and they were quiet for a few minutes.

"There was one guy," Skinner said, closing his eyes for a second. "No family, no one to worry if he was doing well. He came in, determined there was nothing that could be done for him. He hadn't really partaken of any benefits and once I looked into what he was eligible to receive … it was like watching him come to life. He sat up straighter, started talking about the future and just a completely changed person. It was … enough to break you down a little. It humbles you, this job."

"Well, here's to humbling experiences," Mulder said, smiling and clinking his glass to Skinner's. He could hear Scully on the stairs, and he wanted to end this little catch up on a happy note.

"You started without me?" she asked with a smile, walking over with the baby monitor in her hand.

"Just the one," Mulder smiled, and she huffed at him, setting the monitor down on the table, stopping for a kiss, as she grabbed her own glass. She joined them at the table and smiled at Skinner.

"She was quite taken with you," she said to Skinner, nodding toward the monitor to indicate Faith.

"She's a kid, they're easy. It's the adults who are assholes," he replied, and they all laughed.

Mulder stood up and began to place the food and plates on the table. Caesar salad, French bread, and fettuccini alfredo. It was one of Mrs. Scully's recipes and Mulder had his hand slapped more than once as he kept eating spoonfuls of the sauce right out of the pan. His mouth watered now as he knew he was going to be enjoying it.

They all served themselves, Mulder repeatedly describing how delicious it was going to be, until Scully shoved a piece of bread in his mouth to shut him up.

Over dinner, they laughed over past cases, and Skinner asked for a rundown of what _exactly_ happened with the vampire case.

"Which one?" Mulder asked, with a chuckle.

"Yeah, you'll need to specify," Scully added, rolling her eyes.

"The one … the one in Texas, when the coroner was attacked," Skinner said, attempting to jog their memories, to which

Scully groaned and Mulder rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"Oh, this is a good one. It was the closest we had gotten to _actual_ vampires," Mulder began as Scully rolled her eyes once more. "Stop, woman, you know it's true. Anyway, we head down to this town where six cows had been mysteriously exsanguinated -"

"Cows?" Skinner asked, looking at Scully. "I don't remember sending you down there for dead cows." She shook her head, putting her hand in front of Mulder, who caught it and put it back on the table.

"Let me tell the story or my version at least. This is one that we constantly debate about," he said, as an aside to Skinner. "Her version is wildly off base, but let me tell you what _really_ happened and then Scully can tell hers and then you can decide who is being honest. Does that suit you, my love?" He asked with sarcasm, kissing at the air in Scully's direction. She shrugged and sat back in her seat, crossing her arms, a nonchalant air about her.

"Oh, if it's down to who I believe, my money's on Dana," Skinner said, with a wink as he picked up his wine glass and took a drink. Scully nodded and shrugged again, as Mulder scoffed.

"At least hear me out before you jump to conclusions. I'll go first, since mine is the right one," he said, leaning forward and taking a breath.

"By all means," Scully said quietly. "Age before beauty."

Mulder narrowed his eyes at her and began to tell the story: her less than enthusiastic attitude, her eye rolls, her inability to hear anything once Sheriff Handsome Face was in the room. He tried to tell her to wait her turn to speak, but that immediately went south. They spoke over one another, interrupting, raising their voices to make a point and then laughing hysterically.

Skinner's head bounced between them as though he were watching a tennis match. Scully put her hand to her chest as Mulder said Sheriff Hartwell again, snorting with laughter, and Mulder stared at her with a perplexed expression.

"It sounded … like … you said Sheriff _Fartwell_," she said, barely able to get it out, before snorting again and collapsing into a fit of giggles. They both stared at her, until they saw the humor in it as well and joined in on her laughter.

The first bottle of wine was empty and another half gone, by the time they finished with dinner. They remained at the table, talking and letting their food settle before partaking of dessert.

"So, you two have an almost one year old, who is an absolute beauty. I'm seeing that engagement ring still on your finger, Dana," Skinner said, nodding to Scully's hand currently wrapped around her wine glass. "Considering all the shit that has happened in the past … God, just the _past_ covers it, as it encompasses a vast amount of time. No offense meant, but what the hell's the hold up?" Scully glanced at Mulder and he smiled with a shrug, to which she nodded. "Now come on, I told you two to knock that shit off earlier." He grumbled at them and shook his head.

Scully smiled and sighed. "It's interesting you would ask that, as that's the reason we asked you to dinner tonight," she said quietly. "We _are_ getting married." Skinner slowly grinned and then smacked the table in happiness. "This coming Tuesday, actually. The church was available in the afternoon that day, and well …" Skinner nodded as she trailed off, looking at Mulder.

"We'd like you to be there," Mulder said, reaching for Scully's hand. "No one else. Well, besides the priest that is." He squeezed Scully's hand and she chuckled lightly.

"I … just me? I'm sure there are others who would like to be there for it," Skinner said quietly. "Your family and friends? Why just me?"

"Because …" Scully started and then stopped, taking a deep breath. "You … Skinner … Walter, you have … you've put yourself on the line for us, especially me, so many times …" Mulder squeezed Scully's hand once again. She nodded at him, blinking back tears, and then looked back at Skinner. "We would like you to be there and I … I would like for you to walk me down the aisle," she said quietly, holding his gaze, as Mulder continued to hold her hand tightly.

He stared at her, his mouth opening and closing, swallowing hard. "Your brothers should …" he rasped out, shaking his head, and she shook hers in response.

"They aren't in the country," she shrugged and smiled, her tears spilling over. "And I wouldn't want them to do it anyway. It wouldn't be right. They haven't been here. They don't … they don't know me … or Mulder, not the way you do. They never risked their lives and careers, the way you have. They didn't look out for me and have my back the way you did when Mulder was gone. They weren't there when we … buried him." Mulder squeezed her hand again, and she gripped back.

"You were there for me when I needed someone by my side, and for that I can never thank you enough. I would consider it a great honor if you would be there for me again and walk me down the aisle," she said, her cheeks wet with tears as Skinner stared at her, and then reached for her other hand.

He cleared his throat many times, swallowing as he did. He looked down at the table and nodded his head. Looking up into her eyes, he took a deep breath. "Nothing would make me happier, Dana. I … it is _my_ honor to do that for you." He let go of her hand and stood up and she did as well.

They embraced and he said something Mulder did not catch, causing Scully to laugh through the tears he heard her crying, as Skinner held her close. He watched them, swallowing down a lump in his throat. Breaking apart a minute later, Scully wiped her face, trying to stop her tears. Skinner caught her hand and kissed the back of it, as she smiled.

"So," he said, clearing his throat and letting go of her head. "Are we eating this dessert or not?" They all laughed, the memories of the past painful yet healing. Mulder stood up to grab the dessert, smiling as he did.

An hour later, after Skinner helped to clean up, not listening when they tried to stop him, they walked with him out onto the porch. He turned and hugged Scully again, shook Mulder's hand with a clasp on his shoulder and then nodded at them.

"Tuesday, 3 p.m. Cathedral of the Sacraments. I'll be there." He nodded again, and they smiled at him.

As they watched him drive away, Mulder put his arm around Scully's shoulders, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him close.

"You couldn't have asked for anyone better," he said softly, and she nodded. He kissed the top of her head, pulling her closer. Turning around, they walked back inside, closing the door behind them.


	4. Friday: Four Days to Go

Scully sat back with a sigh and closed her eyes, her feet soaking in the warm bubbling water. The massage chair rolled across her back, the stress of the day beginning to ease, as she took a deep breath.

She, Mulder, and Faith had been out looking for a suit for Mulder for the better part of the late morning and into the afternoon. In the process, they had also found shoes for her and a dress for Faith.

Mulder found a black suit he liked rather quickly. The suits he wore during their recent return to the bureau, were not what he wanted for their wedding. He wanted something a bit nicer than an everyday suit.

A slate blue tie, nearly the color of her dress, was added to complete the ensemble.

He looked incredibly handsome and sexy, which Scully made sure to tell him when the in-house tailor walked away. Shaking his head as he went to change, he glared at her while also looking her up and down, closing the changing room door with more force than necessary.

The shoes she chose were relatively simple as well. Either silvery white shoes were _in_ this season, or they had an over abundance of them, because she only tried on three pairs before settling on a light silver, closed toe, three inch heel, cutouts on the inside side of the shoe, and rhinestones around the edging. It was a bit fancier than she would normally be drawn to, but, as Mulder happily pointed out, it was for a wedding.

Faith's dress however, was proving to be rather difficult. Mulder's suit and her shoes had been in the same store, but the dresses the store offered for little girls … Scully hated every one of them. They were either too frilly, too pink, or both. In nearly every store, she was seeing more of the same. Feeling discouraged, she told Mulder she was not sure they would ever find what they needed.

"This is why I wanted to just do a day at the courthouse. This … wedding stress, the dinner, all of it, it's too much, Mulder," she complained, as they walked out of the store, Mulder pushing the stroller.

"Hey," he said, stopping her outside the doors. "We'll find something, don't worry. It's one small thing that's come up. Considering all the things that could fall through, Scully, this is a mere blip. Your dress is being tailored, my suit will be ready by Monday, and the church is available. Tampa has everything else handled. We can handle finding a dress for our little girl." She sighed and nodded as he pulled her into an embrace. "We got this, Scully."

She laughed softly and nodded into his chest. Pulling back, she stared at him and sighed again. "Thank you. I know I'm being a pest -"

"Scully, you're not. I'm the one who wanted to do it this way, and you've been a great sport through it all. I know that it's not what you pictured, or feel is too attention focused on _you_, but, honey," Mulder pushed her hair back, his thumbs at her temples. "I want the attention on you. I want people to gasp when they see you ... at the beauty I see every day. I want you to be a _bride_ and not a number called and a formality reached quickly. I want to wait for you at the front of the church, my heart pounding and my palms sweaty, knowing we're about to get married. _Married_, Scully." She laughed and put her head on his chest again. He ran his hand over her head and scratched at her scalp, causing her to shiver.

"I know that, as cheesy as it may be," she said, looking at him again, a teasing smile on her face.

"Hey! I resemble that remark," he said with a tone of mock outrage. She laughed and grinned at him, raising up on her toes for a kiss. He obliged and when they broke apart, she sighed and stepped back.

"Okay, which store to next?" she asked, putting her hands on the stroller, ready to press on.

"Um, you know what? How about I take the little miss here, and you go to that nail salon over there and get a manicure and pedicure. Need it for the wedding anyway, right?" he shrugged with his palms up. "We'll go look at the fountain, maybe get a treat, I could bring you a cookie, and you relax for a little while. I don't want you to feel worried about anything. We'll find what we're looking for soon. Everything happens for a reason, right?" He smiled, and she stared at him.

"I love you," she said, her love for him overwhelming her as it did at times.

"I know. I'm amazing. How could you not?" he teased with a wink. "Go on, I'll bring you a cookie in ten minutes." He stole a kiss as he walked by, pushing the stroller quickly, causing Faith to squeal in happiness.

She sighed as she watched them leave and then turned to walk over to the nail salon, where she was escorted to the chair in which she was currently relaxing. She hummed, as the rolling massage bar hit a particularly sore spot.

"Stressful day?" She heard and opened her eyes.

A young woman stood beside her with the cart of manicure tools by her feet. She smiled at Scully, and she returned it. "Uh, I've made it more stressful in my mind, so I don't know exactly how to answer that question." They both laughed and the woman sat down on the small stool behind her. She began to go through her items and then looked up at Scully again.

"Well, stressful or not, I hope your time here will help to relax you a bit," she said. "My name is Edith.

"Edith?" Scully said in shock.

"I know," she said, rolling her eyes and taking Scully's feet from the water. "My family has a weird thing about giving their kids older, not so trendy names. I have a sister called Agnes, so at least mine's not as bad as all that." Scully laughed, and Edith smiled at her, nodding her head.

"It's nice to meet you, Edith, I think your name is beautiful," Scully told her. Edith raised her eyebrows and nodded her head again.

"Thank you. You're getting something for free for that: flowers on your toes, extra minutes of a massage, your pick," she said, beginning to take off Scully's old polish. Scully laughed and leaned her head back.

"I'll take the massage, if that's the case," Scully said, smiling and closing her eyes.

"Good choice," Edith said, and they both fell silent.

Edith was quick, but when it came to the massage, she took her time. Scully sighed at the pressure on her muscles she was not aware were taut, until Edith began to rub them. She hummed, keeping her eyes closed, letting the silly stress of finding a dress for Faith leave her mind.

"Hey, Scully." She heard Mulder say quietly. Opening her eyes, she looked up to find him holding Faith, as he stood next to her, a bakery bag in his hands. "Got you a specialty cookie - chili chocolate." He wiggled his eyebrows and handed it to her.

"Mama!" Faith suddenly yelled, and reached for Scully, a big smile on her face. Scully's breath caught in her throat and she heard Mulder gasp. It was the first time Faith said it knowing _who_ it was she talking about. Scully reached for her and held her close, crying softly into her hair.

"Oh, my girl. My sweet girl," she said through her tears. Looking up at Mulder, she saw he had tears in his eyes as well. "Oh, Mulder." He bent down and kissed her head and then Faith's, laughing softly, as he stroked her small back.

"Little one, you sure do know what you're doing," he said quietly, looking up at Scully, his hand on Faith's back.

Faith raised up from Scully's chest and looked up at her, smiling her big goofy grin that was so much like Mulder's. "Mama," she said again, and Scully cried with a happy smile.

"Yes, I _am_ your Mama," she said, kissing her cheeks and her nose, making her laugh. "Oh, Faith, you don't know what this means to me, but one day you will. My sweet girl, I love you so much. Your mama loves you so much." She kissed her again and held her close, closing her eyes as she locked this memory away. The stress of the day disappearing altogether as she heard herself being called _Mama_ for the very first time.

"Okay," she said, pulling Faith up and smiling at her. "You wonderful little girl, you and Daddy go look at the fountain. And then we'll go look for a dress, okay? _Mama_ will meet you soon. Oh, my love, I am so thankful for you." She kissed her again and then Mulder took her back, kissing Scully's cheek as he did.

"Scully," he whispered, so many questions in two syllables, and she nodded. Her eyes were still wet, but her smile was radiant.

"I'm great, Mulder. No, I'm so much more than great," she said, and he smiled with a nod.

"Okay," he said, standing up to his full height. "You stay and revel in this moment. We're going to look at the fountain and wait for you. We'll work on _dada_ as we do. Right, Squatch? That's me, your _Dada_. We'll let Mama enjoy this and we'll see her in a little bit. Say bye-bye." Faith waved with a smile and Mulder walked away, nodding at Scully with a knowing smile. She leaned her head back and let her tears fall again, laughing and crying simultaneously.

"Here," a voice said quietly beside her. She opened her eyes and saw Edith holding a box of tissues, tears in her own eyes. Scully took the box and wiped her eyes and blew her nose. Laughing as tears fell unbidden again, she wiped them and shook her head.

"It's on the house, all of it. That was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Edith said, taking a tissue from the box and dabbing at her own eyes. Scully laughed and knew she would not accept that offer, but she nodded at Edith.

Forty five minutes later, after not paying no matter how she tried, and instead leaving a large tip, Scully left the nail salon. A French manicure and small cherry blossoms on her big toes, she walked out, unable to stop smiling. Her phone beeped, and she took it from her pocket.

_Come down to Little Tots. The name is ridiculous, but that's where we are right now. It's about five stores down on the right._

She smiled and put her phone back in her pocket, walking faster, wanting to see her little girl. She wanted to hold her again, kiss her sweet chubby cheeks and breathe in her scent.

Pushing the door open to the ridiculously named store, she looked around. Seeing Mulder's back from across the store, she went to join him. As she got closer, he turned around and Scully gasped.

He was holding Faith in his arms, and she was wearing a beautiful dress. It had wide cream colored straps that carried on to the small chest area, a full skirt that was almost the exact blue of Scully's own dress, with a sheer tulle over it and pearls scattered throughout. Mulder had added a plain cream colored headband with a small bow on the side, and cream colored ballet flats. The whole effect was perfect and exactly what she had not known she wanted until she saw it. He met her eyes and smiled, looking at Faith and then back at her, raising his eyebrows in question.

"That's it," she said, stepping closer and touching the dress, smiling at him with tears in her eyes. "That's the dress."


	5. Saturday: Three Days to Go

Mulder paced across the living room, waiting for Scully to come downstairs after putting Faith to bed. Pausing, he glanced up and listened, to see if he could hear her coming yet. Looking down at his phone, he saw the song he had queued up. He heard it earlier and he knew how Scully was going to react when he played it, but he was ready for that battle, he had his story prepared.

Hearing her footfall on the steps, he put his phone in his back pocket, turned around and grinned at her. Regardless of the questioning look she gave him, he put his hand out to her, her frown making him smile. Always skeptical, that was his Scully.

"What are you up to, Mulder?" she asked.

"Dance with me," he said, smiling as he gestured with his hand for her to come closer.

"Mulder …"

"Humor me, Scully," he said, taking her hand and pulling her close.

"There's no music," she teased, looking up at him and raising her eyebrows, causing him to laugh.

"Ah, yes, this is true," he said, dancing slowly in place. "I was thinking as you were upstairs, that we don't have a song to dance to at the wedding. You know, our first dance and all." She pulled back again and shook her head, opening her mouth to say something. "Relax, Scully. I'm joking. I don't even know if we'll have dancing, Tampa is in charge of all of that. But, I did hear a song today and if you'll humor me …" He took out his phone, pushed play, and she groaned.

"_My Heart Will Go On_, Mulder? You _know_ how I feel about this movie," she said warningly, as he put his phone back in his pocket, and they began to dance around.

"Ah yes, Scully. I believe the words '_just sink already_' were yelled at the screen. But I chalked it up to you being irritated by the 'non-case case' you worked on while in Maine. You know, on your weekend away. With _Jack_." He twirled her around and pulled her back, spying the grin she was trying to hide. "You know it's a good thing the theater was basically only us, because I think people would have taken offense to you yelling that, taking into account the history of the ship and all-"

"Mulder, shut up. Why in the world this song?" she asked, as she rested her head on his chest.

"Well, I was listening to it recently, by chance," he stated, as she pulled back to look at him. She nodded, unconvinced, and put her head back on his chest. "It's true, it played on that station you like, and I swear to God … ever since you were pregnant and then even more so after Faith was born, I feel so emotional about things. I don't know if you've noticed." He waited and was not disappointed when scoffed out a laugh. He smacked her ass and she yelped, digging her nails into his waist.

"The way back past, Scully, the circumstances out of our control … I never, I never thought I would _be_ a father and not just one … in theory, so to speak," he whispered into her hair. "We puttered around here, you and I, and we were happy, but the sadness … it was palpable at times and though we never said it, this home lacked something. William … he left us both with an emptiness that became bigger as we tried to make it smaller. Thinking of him growing up here. having a catch outside, camping out in tents, building rockets … it was a dream and something I didn't share with you. I see now how stupid that was, I do." He could feel her taking deep breaths and hear her sniffling, but he continued on, holding her close to him, dancing slowly, the song set on repeat.

"It's not a … replacement with Faith. I don't want you to ever think that …"

"I don't, Mulder. I understand what you're saying. I … have those moments too. Looking at her, seeing her milestones being met and knowing how much we missed. Her calling me _Mama_, Mulder, I will not take that for granted even once. She can say it with love, anger, or annoyance, and I will love it every time. I wasn't a mother to William, not the way I am to her. He is my son, _our_ son, but … I understand." They were quiet as they stopped dancing and simply held one another, the words of the song finding new meaning for them in the moment shared.

_Every night in my dreams_

_I see you, I feel you_

_That is how I know you go on_

_Far across the distance_

_And spaces between us_

_You have come to show you go on_

"He's with us, Scully. He always will be, and one day we'll see him again," he whispered, and she nodded as they began to dance again. "I honestly didn't mean to traipse down this path, but we obviously needed to discuss it." She laughed softly and nodded her head again. He sighed and was quiet, following the trail back to where he had planned to go.

"I remember watching this movie after you came back from Maine. God, I had missed you so much, it was embarrassing," he laughed and she chuckled.

"Pencils falling from the ceiling embarrassing?" she teased and he laughed.

"Exactly. So, I suggested we cut out early, hit that head shop for you to buy a poster, for some other man I might add -"

"Of which I never sent it, if you remember correctly."

"A moot point, at this juncture," he replied, and she laughed again. "Anyway, I suggested we go see what all the fuss was about with this movie and you rolled your eyes, but agreed. Like I said, there were only a couple other people in the theater and I was glad of it when you yelled for it to sink."

"Ha! That was hilarious, because I remember the other two people in there said _Amen_! and I didn't feel like such an asshole. But Mulder, I just … I didn't feel it and so, I wanted to get to the, for lack of a better word, the _action_ part of the movie."

"Mmm-hmmm," he said, and she laughed again.

"Then, God, this song was _everywhere_. And then oh, do you remember how it had dialogue from the movie added to the song? Mulder …" she pulled back and looked at him with wide eyes. "It felt never ending at times." He stared at her and shook his head.

"You _did_ start a Cal Hockley fan club, didn't you? You went into online chat rooms and discussed how he was the real victim, didn't you?" he deadpanned, causing her to throw her head back and laugh. When she had finished, she looked into his eyes and smiled, her eyes twinkling.

"Yes, Scully, I remember your disdain for the movie, but if you would shut up, remove the preconceived thoughts from your head, and listen to the words of the song, you'll see why I was affected by it. So I'm going to start it over, and you're going to be quiet, you got it?"

"Or what, you'll smack my ass again?"

"I will, but let's save that dirty talk for later." She laughed as he queued up the song again. "Now just shut up." She raised her eyebrows at him, and then put her arms around him, and her head on his chest, as they began to dance slowly.

_Every night in my dreams_

_I see you, I feel you_

_That is how I know you go on_

_Far across the distance_

_And spaces between us_

_You have come to show you go on_

_Near, far, wherever you are_

_I believe that the heart does go on_

_Once more you open the door_

_And you're here in my heart_

_And my heart will go on and on_

"That, Scully, that right there," he whispered.

_Love can touch us one time_

_And last for a lifetime_

_And never let go till we're gone_

_Love was when I loved you_

_One true time I hold to_

_In my life we'll always go on_

_Near, far, wherever you are_

_I believe that the heart does go on_

_Once more you open the door_

_And you're here in my heart_

_And my heart will go on and on_

"So much has happened, Scully, and yet here we are, together, dancing in our living room while our little girl sleeps upstairs," he whispered into her hair.

_You're here, there's nothing I fear_

_And I know that my heart will go on_

_We'll stay forever this way_

_You are safe in my heart and_

_My heart will go on and on_

"I know it's super cheesy, I know you'll roll your eyes, but it's true, there is nothing I fear, not when you're here. We can face anything, we _will_ face anything as we're meant to, together," he said, his chin resting on her head, as this time the music stopped and did not repeat.

"So cheesy," she breathed and he smacked her ass again, causing her to laugh softly, and then sigh. "Mulder, you have always been a cheesy kind of guy. Your puns, whether I laughed or not, it's part of your charm and makes you who you are. It's one of the things I love most about you. You take things seriously, to a point, and then you bring the comic relief. Sometimes it lands and sometimes I don't want to encourage you, so I hold the laughter inside. But," she looked up at him and smiled. "I love your cheesiness because I love you." He bent his head and kissed her, before pulling her close again.

"I'm happy to hear that, Scully," he said and she hummed. "It's nice to know that you appreciate my silly humor."

"To a point, Mulder," she warned.

"Like the point of an iceberg?" he asked excitedly. "Because I think we could even get through that, Scully. _Our_ ship wouldn't sink and there wouldn't be any casualties."

"Okay, see now," she said, pulling away and stepping back, her hands up in surrender. "That's too far, even for you, Cheeseball."

"What? I'm saying we're _unsinkable_," he said, with a huge smile. "Our love has _anchored_ us and kept us from drifting off into the horizon. No more rough seas, only smooth sailing, as far as the eye can see. Scully? Where are you going?"

She did not answer, but continued across the room, a slight gagging sound heard as she began to walk up the stairs. He laughed and walked around the room, turning off the lights and locking the doors. Taking the steps two at a time, he arrived quickly at their bedroom door. Standing in the doorway, he grinned at her.

"Permission to come aboard?" he asked, and she threw a pillow at him, hitting him in the face. He laughed and stepped past it into the room, closing the door behind him. "Now about that dirty talk …" He said pulling her close, and she raked her nails up his chest.

"You got the green light, sailor. Full steam ahead," she teased with a purr, and he groaned, gripping her hips tightly.

"God, I love you."

"I know. And, Mulder, you definitely have permission to _come_ aboard."

"Oh, Scully …"


	6. Sunday: Two Days to Go

Scully stood in the hallway holding Faith, staring at the spot where the fish tank used to sit. It had been years since a fish had sat there and she was going to change that today. Smiling sadly, she remembered the last fish dying and the tank cracking coincidentally all on the same day.

_"It's a sign, Scully," Mulder sighed, as he scooped out the fish and walked into the bathroom to flush it down the toilet."I'll go get some buckets."_

_Together they emptied out the fish tank, dumping buckets of water out, and then the rocks, plants, and other items. The filters and anything salvageable was saved in a bucket, letting it dry before storing it._

_When it was completely empty, they carried it down the stairs together, heading to the shed in the back to add to the trash when it was time for pickup._

_"It's truly an end of an era, Scully. I had that tank for so long. Years at my place, then at yours, then your mom held onto it when we were gone, and now …" He sighed sadly, looking at it and shaking his head. She stepped close and hugged him, rubbing his back as she did._

_"We can get another one, Mulder."_

_"No, I don't know if I want to do that, it feels … I don't know."_

_"Are you sure? We could go right now."_

_"No, it's okay," he said and held her tightly._

Years had passed and the space remained empty, no other fish tank having been purchased. She smiled as she thought of how surprised Mulder would be when he saw the new one. He was out meeting with Tampa, going over last minute wedding plans, which she '_did not need to be present for_,' and would be home later in the afternoon.

It worked out perfectly as he was undoubtedly creating some surprise for her, she was doing the same for him. A new bookcase had been ordered and put together, the delivery dated for today. The pet store was bringing all the items needed, aside from the fish, as the tank would need time to be ready for them.

Faith was going down for a nap soon, and then Scully would prepare what she had purchased and hidden away. A floating UFO, like the one Mulder used to have, which had not been easy to find. A small Sasquatch, and a little grey, sad-faced alien holding a sign that read, _'lost spaceship, please help_.' Everything was set, all she had to do was wait for the delivery.

"Faith, my girl, we are going to surprise your Daddy, and it's going to be so great." She kissed her on the head, and headed downstairs to feed her and play a bit before the men arrived.

After eating and working on walking, Scully catching her every time she stumbled, they went upstairs to read a book and put Faith down for her nap. Scully turned on the noise machine and sounds of nature filled the room. Crickets, owls, a babbling brook, the ocean, it was a symphony of sounds. She also turned on a fan, as the room got stuffy in the afternoon.

As she was leaving the room, Scully heard the delivery truck pulling up. She grinned and went downstairs to meet them and show them where to set up the items.

The bookcase arrived first, as planned, and two men carried it quickly up the stairs before leaving again. She stood staring at it, pleased with her purchase. Running her hand across the wood, she smiled as she remembered what drew her to it when she saw it first online, and then in the store.

It reminded her of Mulder's old metal shelf in his apartment, but a more modern and updated version of it. Three shelves of thick dark wood were held up by a thick metal frame, the wood extending past it a bit. On the back, a metal X offered more support, and also made her smile at how Mulder would find it amusing.

She had researched the proper weight allowance, asking about it at the pet store and then when she purchased the unit. She was certain this would be a good addition and do the job needed. Smiling, she went downstairs to get the items ready to go into the fish tank.

Everything was opened, rinsed, and then set on a towel to dry. The gravel rocks were rinsed in a bucket, the water dumped out and then left inside to be added once the tank was set up. The plants and coral rocks were rinsed and also left in a separate bucket, making it easier to carry upstairs. Everything done, she just needed to wait for the delivery truck to arrive.

Glancing at the clock, she began to grow nervous, worried they would still be here when Mulder came home. Pacing the living room, she was about to call and ask where they were, when she heard them drive up and park. Sighing with relief, she opened the door and the man stepping out of the driver's side grinned at her.

"Sorry, we're a little late, last job took a little longer than planned." He smiled at her as she walked onto the porch.

"It's okay, but my … husband will be home soon and I would like to get this done as quickly as possible," she said, glancing down the road, expecting to see Mulder's car coming up the driveway.

"Not a problem, ma'am, your set up is a lot easier than our last one. Should be done in a jif. We'll rinse and wipe the tank and then bring it in. Is it going upstairs or down?" He grinned again.

"Upstairs. I have everything ready for the inside of the tank, so once you're done, we'll set it up. Oh, and my baby is sleeping in the room with the closed door, if you wouldn't mind not being overly loud." She smiled and he laughed.

"I have three kids myself, I completely understand." He nodded at her and she laughed. He turned to his helper and they opened up the back of the truck, taking out the tank and other items they brought.

Scully watched them, her eyes still flicking to the road, hoping and praying they would be done quickly. They rinsed the tank, using the hose at the end of the porch, then dried off the outside, as discussed. She held the door open for them, as they carried the tank together up the stairs, and then she followed. They set it on top of the bookshelf and quietly began to set it up.

Scully went back downstairs to get the buckets of items and then join them again. The driver smiled at her and quietly told her what he was doing and then helped to add the gravel rocks. He used the plastic cup she had thought to add, dumping them onto the glass bottom with surprising softness and hardly any sound.

He caught her look of surprise and laughed quietly. "If my wife knew I had woken a napping baby, I would be sleeping on the couch for a week." Scully laughed softly and nodded her head.

"Smart woman," she said and he grinned.

Once the rocks were in, they worked together to put the plants and coral at the right spots, as the other delivery man went to fill the buckets in the tub. He set them down and then offered his advice on placement. They both grinned at the alien holding the sign and Scully laughed, knowing how much Mulder would love it.

Once everything was ready, the water was added slowly and carefully, so as not to disturb the items inside the tank. After many trips to the bathroom to fill the buckets, the tank was full. The first man checked the pH levels and added what was needed to level out the tank. The other man stacked the buckets, wiped the tank and the floor with the old towel Scully had provided, then put the lid on and switched on the light.

"Okay. You need to let the tank sit for at least a day before you add any fish to it. It needs to acclimate to itself before it can accept anything living and new," the driver said and Scully nodded. That much she knew at least. "But, that's about it. Filter and heater are on, and your little spaceship. I love that, I haven't seen one of those before."

"Yeah, it was incredibly hard to find." She smiled as she watched it float to the surface and then go back to the bottom of the tank. For a second, she remembered standing and watching the one from long ago as she held William. When he could not be calmed by her voice or touch, the fish tank always did the trick. He would quiet down as he watched the UFO moving, his big blue eyes wide with wonder.

"Ma'am?" Scully shook her head, clearing those thoughts, and looking at the driver. He smiled at her and she nodded. "We're finished here. Thank you for your preparations, it helps immensely when that happens." Scully nodded again, her mind still on the memory of William watching the fish.

"Thank you," she said quietly, and they both nodded. Everything tidied up, they all walked downstairs and she handed them each a tip, thanking them again. They smiled and thanked her, got in their truck and drove away.

Closing the door behind her, she picked up the books and picture she wanted to add to the bookshelf. She went back upstairs to set them up and collect the buckets, making sure everything was perfect. She stacked two books on the bottom shelf, and the picture of them in their FBI jackets from years ago went on the middle one. She smiled as she looked at the picture, then sighed as she glanced at the fish tank.

She had no idea it would bring forth that memory of William earlier, but it had and she needed to let it in, not push it away as she usually did. The fish had been a huge part of their lives, all of them. When Mulder had moved all his things to her apartment, he had taken extra care when it came to the fish tank, wanting to be sure it was safe and installed properly.

_"I don't want you to worry about anything when it comes to this, Scully," he said quietly, as the last fish was emptied from the bag, swimming happily in the tank._

_"I'm not worried about the fish, Mulder," she whispered, reaching for his hand. "I don't … Mulder …" He pulled her to him and held her close, as she started to cry. Too much had happened too fast and she could no longer keep her tears held within._

_"I don't want you to go," she sobbed and he held her tighter. She could hear and feel him crying and it made her cry harder. Neither of them spoke, but cried out their pain and sadness._

_When she could speak, she drew a deep breath and whispered to him. "You have to go, Mulder. I know you have to, but I want you to know something with complete certainty, for there not to be any doubt." She pulled back from him and looked into his wet eyes, and saw the tears on his cheeks. "I love you. I love you so much." She stroked his face, wiping his tears as others fell anew. He kissed her palm and held it to his face, closing his eyes. She stared at him, memorizing the moment. The way his face looked in the light of the fish tank as the filter quietly gurgled._

_Opening his eyes, he looked at her, his eyes seeming to see to her very soul. "I love you, too, Scully. The thought of leaving you, and William …" He shook his head and bit his lip. "I have to keep you safe, I can't … the thought of the two of you being hurt or used because of me … Scully, I can't …" He pulled her close again and she cried into his chest, murmuring that she knew. He held her as they both cried again, falling silent together, in sync as always._

_Pulling back, he kissed her softly. Her lips, cheeks, forehead, temples, the tip of her nose. She smiled slightly through her tears, as he rested her forehead against hers. William cried from the bassinet in her bedroom and they both jumped._

_"It takes some getting used to," he quietly laughed and she nodded. "I'll get him. Does he need to eat?" She nodded again and he sighed, before stepping back, kissing her once again._

_She turned her head and looked at the fish swimming in their new home, and hoped they would bring her peace in the trying times ahead, as they had in the past. She prayed for it as she stood there, her body still sore from birth and the ever needed nursing demanded of her. She prayed for peace for all of them and then went to sit on the couch and wait for Mulder to bring her their son._

Scully had tears running down her face as she stood with the empty buckets in her hands. Setting them down, she wiped at her eyes, and then walked into the bathroom. She blew her nose and rinsed her face, the memories swirling in her mind like the water running down the drain.

It had been a good idea to get a new fish tank, but the memories rising to the surface were not expected. They nearly choked her, while soothing her soul at the same time. Here was another thing they would share, albeit slight and seemingly inconsequential. Faith would love the fish as William did and perhaps their presence would bring her peace when she felt upset, just as he had.

Walking out of the bathroom, she picked up the buckets, smiled at the tank and walked downstairs. She put the buckets in the shed in the backyard and came back inside to throw out the packaging from the items she had opened. Everything straightened, she sat on the couch with a book to wait for Mulder.

Not more than ten minutes later, she heard him pull up and she grinned. By the time he walked in the door, her smile was gone and she appeared to be engrossed in the book she was reading, when in actuality she had not read one word.

"Hey, babe," he said with a grin and she rolled her eyes. He was trying out new nicknames, using the wedding as an excuse. So far he had tried 'pumpkin', 'sweet cheeks', 'Mamacita', 'lover', and "my one and only'. They had all been awful, but the last two especially had made her physically gag.

_"If you ever call me 'lover' again," she said as she lifted his mouth from her breast, "this will be the last time you see my naked body. You got that?" He grinned and nodded before continuing down her body, her fingers buried in his hair, guiding him with a tug when he strayed off course._

"Not babe either, huh?" he asked as he kissed her quickly and headed to the fridge to put away the food he had picked up. He took out a beer, closed the door, and looked over at her. "I'll figure one out, Scully and you won't be able to claim you hate it." He opened the bottle and grinned at her before taking a long drink.

"'Honey' and/or my name is more than enough," she said, raising her eyebrows and looking back at her book, ignoring him, but hyper aware of the fish tank upstairs.

"Nah, I'm going to find one more and that will be that, especially if Faith says it, too." Her head snapped up and she saw him grinning at her over his beer bottle. "Relax, I know what happens if I'm too naughty." He set his beer down and walked over to her, looming over her and forcing her to put her book down. "Or maybe you like me when I'm naughty?" His tongue was in her mouth before she could think and then he was on top of her, making her dizzy with the taste of his yeasty beer kiss.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her easily onto his lap, her knees on either side of him. She could feel his arousal and she knew Faith would be waking up soon, but right then she wanted nothing more than to be completely naked, listening to him shout _her_ name, and definitely not '_babe_.'

His hands gripped her ass and pushed her closer to him. "Faith is going to wake up soon," she whispered between his kisses, her heart rate doubling as his hands snuck inside her loose top, and under her bra, pushing it up and over her breasts.

"Then we better be fast," he growled, and her body responded everywhere. His hands cupped her breasts, roughly squeezing her nipples, knowing she liked that and it would make her wet.

She reached for his belt and clumsily opened it and his jeans, as he continued his attack on her breasts, whispering how he had missed her and had been thinking of her on his drive home. Imagining doing exactly this and how turned on it had made him.

She thanked the heavens that she had worn a flowy summer skirt that day. Lifting up and off of him to pull it up, he pushed his pants down enough to free himself, pushing her panties aside as she sank down on top of him, both of them moaning in pleasure as she did.

"Oh yeah, Scully, this was what I was thinking about," he whispered, as she rose up and came back down. "You feel so good, and watching you ride me, Jesus Christ, it's so hot. I was semi hard most of the drive home thinking about the feel of you around me, the way you breathe my name, oooohhh, yeah. Scully …" He gripped her hips and she rose up again, his words spurring her on.

"Remember Montana? When I held your hands over your head and you came only from me kissing you? How I sucked your tongue and then made love to your mouth slowly, your body thrusting against mine, searching for release? But I wouldn't allow it, because I wanted to see if my kiss alone could make you come … and it did, I did. Do you remember?" He pulled her panties over further, holding them there, as his thumb rubbed her clit, making her cry out.

"Mulder," she moaned, as she moved faster, the memory of that night getting her closer to her goal.

"You remember that snowstorm in Idaho? When we were stuck in that motel room and we fucked like rabbits. We were the only ones there and you screamed so many times. Pounding into you against that wall, Scully, your heels digging into my ass, the headboard rattling as I held onto it for leverage. You came so hard, I had to catch you or you would have slid down to the bed. Oh, God. Yes, Scully, faster."

She went faster, remembering that time as well, how it felt to be taken so roughly by him, how much it had turned her on. The slick sweat of his skin, his strong arms around her, he had been so deep inside her.

"Mulder, oh, oh, I'm gonna come," she cried out and he rubbed his thumb faster, sending her over the edge with a shout, convulsing around him, whimpering out her release, her body shaking.

"Yes, Scully. You're so beautiful." He pushed into her, both hands going to her waist, and she tried to move with him, but her legs felt like rubber. He thrust up a few more times and then stopped, his release overtaking him. He held her tightly as he rocked into her a few more times and then they stilled.

"Mulder," she laughed through a shaky breath. "That was … unbelievable. You … you were thinking of all of that on the drive home? I'm surprised you made it here." He laughed and kissed the hollow of her throat.

"I almost didn't, but then I remembered that I said I would get some food and I needed to gain control of myself. So here we are, food's in the fridge and we've had amazing sex to boot. I don't think it gets much better than that." She leaned her head back and smiled at him, her body still pulsing lightly around him. She kissed him and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Faith cried out and they both laughed as they broke apart. "Thank you for that sexy trip down memory lane. I wouldn't have gotten there half as fast without it," she said, kissing him once more, before they began to move off the couch.

She went to the bathroom and cleaned herself up a little, readjusting her clothes, getting her breasts back in her bra. He appeared behind her and she grinned at him, kissing his lips as she left, allowing him to use the bathroom.

"Can you get her?" she asked nonchalantly, not meeting his eyes as he came out of the bathroom. His pants were buttoned, but his belt was still loose, something she always found incredibly sexy. He nodded and started up the stairs, turning to glance back when he heard her behind him. At his look of confusion, she just shrugged, her heart beating excitedly in her chest.

When he reached the top of the stairs he gasped. "What?" he said, looking at her again. "How? When did you do this?" He walked closer and looked all over the fish tank, grinning at the items inside, pointing and laughing at the little alien. "That's funny. And the UFO? But how? They're really hard to find."

"Oh, I know. Hang on one second, let me go get the girl," she said as she went into Faith's room. She turned off the fan and the noise machine before walking over to the crib and picking up Faith. She kissed her warm rosy cheek and then, not bothering to change her yet, she went back to join Mulder.

He looked at her and kissed Faith's head before looking back at the fish tank. "I can't believe you did this, Scully," he said quietly.

"It was about time for a new one," she answered.

"Thank you. I love it. And yes, it was time." He kissed her and reached for Faith, kissing her cheek as he held her to him. "What about you Faithy, what do you think?" She stared at it, her eyes wide, and then looked back at Mulder. He laughed and then knelt down, moving her closer to the floating UFO.

She watched it go up and down a few times, and then laughed, clapping her hands. They both laughed with her as Scully knelt beside them, smiling at Faith, watching her eyes travel up and down with the movement of the UFO. Stroking her hair, she added another memory to the fish tank file, and looked up at Mulder.

"Thank you," he said again and she smiled. "I'd say I'll thank you _properly_ later, but I suppose I _thanked_ you preemptively," he grinned with a wink, and she laughed.

"I'll say … Papacita," she teased and winked back at him. His eyes widened and she shook her head. "Absolutely not."

"Fine … _honey_," he conceded, and she grinned. "So, we'll get fish tomorrow? Some new fish for the house? What do you say, little girl? Yes?" He stood up and lifted Faith into the air, causing her to laugh. He looked at the tank, and then at Scully, reaching to pull her up into their little group hug. "Tomorrow. We'll go get some new fish friends tomorrow."


	7. Monday: One Day to Go

"Can I get you anything else?" the waitress asked, walking up to the table where they were eating lunch, and smiling at Faith. She turned at the new voice and smiled at the waitress and then resumed biting at the bit of bread in her hand.

"We're good, thank you. Just the check," Mulder said. The waitress smiled, nodded, and walked away. He looked at Faith and added more bananas to the placemat in front of her. "These are an amazing invention." Scully smiled and nodded.

Scully had found sticky place mats online after one too many dishes had been spilled and or dropped onto the floor when they were having a meal outside the house. Faith, of course, found it hilariously amusing, but they did not. The place mats stuck to the table and afforded a clean space for her to eat and make a mess. Plus, every one of them was different letters of the alphabet so it was a learning moment as well as time to eat.

Faith held the bread in one hand and picked up a piece of banana, shoving it in her mouth. She wiggled, as she always did when she liked what she was eating. Mulder grinned at her and glanced up at Scully, finding her watching Faith with a smile on her face. Her eyes moved to his and he winked at her.

"So, fish store next, then home to put them in the tank, and rest up for the big day tomorrow?" he asked as the waitress set down their check. He took out his credit card and handed it back to her. As she walked away, Scully nodded at his plan.

"You think we should abstain from sexual activities tonight, seeing as how it's our wedding eve?" she asked and he raised his head to look at her. She smiled and he shook his head.

"You're mean," he whined, and she laughed.

"I've heard that's what couples do these days, so …" She shrugged, and raised her eyebrows.

"When have we ever done _anything_ the way other couples have?" he asked, and she laughed. "So no, I _don't_ think we should abstain from any sexual activities tonight."

"Well, we'll see how the rest of the day goes," she teased, taking the bread from Faith, and began to clean her hands and face.

"Mmm-hmmm," he said as the waitress reappeared with his card and thanked them for dining there today. Mulder smiled at her and looked back at Scully. "Just you think about what you're saying. _Really_ think about it." He signed the bill and put his card away.

She grinned as she gathered up the items on the table, putting them in the backpack. He took Faith from the high chair and kissed her cheek. She smiled at him and pointed away from them, babbling away as she did. He smiled at her, her spirits highest when she had a belly full of food.

They walked out together and she looked all around as they did, pointing, shouting, and babbling still, as they passed through the restaurant.

"She's so much like you," Mulder said as he put Faith in her car seat, handing her a little elephant toy she liked. She laughed as she bit his trunk and squeezed him tightly.

"You want sex later, you better think about what you're going to say," Scully warned as she put the backpack on the opposite side of the car. He grinned at her and buckled the last part of the car seat, closing the door, and getting in the driver's seat.

"I was simply going to say that she's happiest when she has some food in her belly. Twenty five years together Scully, I know that without food, you're not always pleasant." He shrugged, giving her his best puppy dog eyes.

"Walking a thin line there, buddy," Scully warned again, smiling as she leaned in for a kiss, removing the sting of her words. He grinned and kissed her before starting the car.

They arrived at the pet store and Mulder grinned at Scully before they got out of the car. He took Faith from her car seat and they walked into the store. He walked up to the rabbits in the open glass cage and let Faith look as he told her about them.

Holding her hand, he helped her pet the back of a black and white rabbit. Her eyes went wide, and Mulder heard Scully taking pictures. He did not look anywhere but at Faith, wanting to keep the photos candid. She watched the rabbit and then looked at Mulder, a grin splitting her face. He smiled back and then kissed her forehead, Scully snapping away. He looked over at her and she grinned.

"Let's look around some more, my sweet one," he whispered to Faith, and they looked at hamsters, mice, guinea pigs, a tarantula, lizards, and birds before they headed back to the fish.

Faith loved all of it, her blue eyes wide with wonder, although the birds scared her for a second when they suddenly flew around their cage. She looked on the verge of tears when one of them began to whistle and she was mesmerized once again.

"Scully ..."

"No birds, Mulder. Don't even think about it. Come on, let's go pick out the fish. Say bye-bye to the birds, Faith. Bye-bye!" Scully said, waving to the birds and Faith mimicked her. Shaking her head at Mulder, she walked toward the fish. Sighing, he followed her, telling Faith they would be back soon.

At the wall of fish tanks, they both paused. He looked at Scully and she shrugged. "You know more about fish than I do, I'll let you pick." He nodded and they stepped over to the tanks.

He walked close to a saltwater tank, telling Faith about the difference in fresh and saltwater tanks. He pointed to the fish swimming around and told her the names of them as she stared at them, her eyes moving quickly around the tank.

He moved to other tanks, showing her the fish he used to have so long ago. She was quiet as she looked around, absorbing everything she was seeing. Watching her, he decided to let her pick the fish, to see what drew her eye most, and get those as she would be living with them for a long time.

"My girl, I'm going to leave it to you. Which ones do you like? You pick." He walked over to the tanks and paid attention to the ones she seemed to like best.

She reached out and tried to touch the tank, but Mulder caught her hand, letting her touch it softly. The fish swam away as she did, but a few swam back, causing her to scream with excitement, and them to swim away again. Mulder chuckled and took her hand off the glass.

"You like the danios, huh? Okay, let's keep looking," Mulder murmured, and moved to his right. He looked over his shoulder and Scully smiled at him.

Two more fish decided on, platies and guppies, they went to find an associate. A young kid came over and began to bag up the fish they chose and Scully placed them carefully in the handbasket she had grabbed when they had walked in the store. The associate then took them to the food aisle and showed them the food they enjoyed.

Grabbing both kinds, Scully added them to the basket, and they thanked him for his help. He nodded and walked away as they went to the register to pay for the fish. Items purchased and bagged, they went to the car to head for home.

Faith fell asleep on the way home and Mulder carefully took the car seat out and carried it upstairs. He transferred her to her crib, turning on the fan and noise machine as he started to leave. She stirred, and he froze. He waited and watched her roll over and sigh, laying still. He smiled, picked up the car seat, and walked out the door, closing it behind him.

Scully was standing in the hallway, the bag from the pet store in her hand. "So we need to let them sit in the water inside their bag? Let them get used to the water temperature and all that?" she asked, handing him a bag of fish as he opened the fish tank lid.

"Nah, we don't have to do that. We can just pour them in."

"Mulder, the guy said to let them acclimate. You heard him," she said, shaking her head, putting her hand on his to stop him. "Don't just pour them in."

"Scully, they will be fine."

"Mulder …"

He looked at her and her blue eyes, so much like Faith's, bore into his own. He could never refuse her when she looked at him that way. He sighed and nodded. "Okay , my little rule follower, we'll let them 'acclimate'." He smiled and she smirked at him, handing him the bags of fish.

He set them on top of the water, letting them float around. Scully took out the food and set them next to the tank, crumbling the bag in her hands. "So, about a half hour? What _will_ we do while we wait?" He looked at her and she wiggled her eyebrows at him. He grinned and brushed his hands off, wiping them on his pants.

"So, we've definitely landed on _not_ abstaining then?" he teased and she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him into the bedroom.

Later that night, after Faith's bath, they all stood together watching the fish swim around the tank. Faith clapped and shouted her excitement, watching the fish zip and zoom, chasing each other. She pointed and laughed, causing Mulder and Scully to laugh with her.

Scully put her to bed and Mulder continued watching the fish, the peaceful feeling they afforded washing over him. Looking up as Scully came out of the room, he smiled at her and reached for her hand. She locked her fingers with his and he squeezed.

"Thank you for this, Scully. I didn't realize how much I've missed having fish until now," he said quietly.

"Mmm-hmm. You're welcome, Mulder."

He tugged her hand and pulled her close. "When I was living alone, it was so quiet and I liked it. I liked not being bogged down by anyone else's words or comments, filling the empty space simply to break the silence. But then, it was _too_ quiet. I could hear my own thoughts echoing in my brain."

"Hmm," she teased.

"Exactly. I was making myself crazy. Well …" he said and they both laughed. "A pet of any kind wasn't something I wanted, too much responsibility. But fish … well I'd always found them calming, so I decided I'd try it out. I liked the quiet hum of the filter, in the quiet of my apartment, a dually beneficial relationship. We were together, yet separate, bringing each other comfort and companionship. Then … well, it became something between you and I. You fed them, we used it as a code, you … took care of them when I was gone. They were kind of a symbol of hope, something I'd forgotten until I was watching them just now. It sounds silly-"

"It doesn't," she whispered, pulling him closer. "I felt the same way, my own memories attached to it, and I had a cry over it. It was time for a new hopeful presence in our home, Mulder."

"I couldn't agree more," he whispered, kissing her head, and sighing. He guided her to the bedroom where they got ready for bed.

Lying down a few minutes later, holding her in his arms, he kissed the back of her neck. She sighed and hummed.

"Tomorrow, Scully …"

"Tomorrow, Mulder …"

He pulled her closer and she relaxed back into him, her hands covering his, and holding tight.

_Tomorrow_ …


End file.
